Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-08-19
THE sANTEE SIOUX.
are Entitled to Cast a
Citizens Vote.
The Question Submitted to the In
dian Ofioe---An Affirmative
Answer Returned.

WARRINGTON. Aug. l8.-The question
raised as TO whether the Santee Indians
at Niobrara. Neb., who have severed their
tribal relations and have beer allotted
lands IN severalty, have \ right to vote
as. citizens OF the United States han been
decided in the affirmative By the Indian
ONCE. Gen. Upshur, acting commissioner
lot Indian affairs, says:
-AParagranh 4 e-.!cl. g e 81. ssnnx
treaty Of 1858, provides for the issuance
OF patents 10 individual Indians, and
concludes as follows: ttAnd any Indian
or Indians receiving a patent for land
under the foregoing provisions shall
thereby from thenceforth become q
citizen of the United States, and be en-
titled 20 all the privileges and immune
tfes OF such citizens, and shall at the
same time retain all his rights to bene-
fits accruing to Indians under the treaty.
Under the provisions OF that act patents
weie issued to 1872 heads Of families be.
longing to the Santee band of Sioux In
dians, and to the remainder of the band
allotments In severalty were made and
certificates therefor issued.
The 132 Santees to whom patents were
Issued became citizens as soon as they re-
ceived their patents, according to the
plan and nnmistakable provisions OF the
treaty, and the debates beth in senate
and house show that this was the unmis-
taxable intention of congress when the
bill alloting lands in severalty to Indians
was passed. The first measure of this
Kind, introduced in the senate by Mr..
Coke, OF Texas, contained no provision
as TO citizenship, but Senator Dawes in
~troduced. q similar bill which contained a
section declaring that every Indian born
In the United States to whom alIotments
should be made under the provisions of
that act, and every Indian who had vol
UNFAIRLY taken up his residence separate
and apart from his tribe, should be a cit
lien of the United States. This was
done after Senator Dawes had made In
quiry at the Indian Office. regarding the
manner In which the Indians had hereto
fore been made citizens. The language
is plain and unmistakable, and that it
was perfectly understood In the senate is
shown by the fact that Senator Maxey
moved to strike out the provision, aud
made an earnest speech in opposition to
the policy OF making Indians citizens Of
the United States. The amendment was
defeated without a division
Senator Dawes, submitting n slight
amendment, said: 1.-THE question is some
times raised whether an Indian, BY be-
coming a citizen Of the United States.
does not lose his claim to the tribal prop.
erty which the tribe holds in common.
and this lis to prevent any such construc-
tion ms that In the house Mr.. Perkins
stated that under section Z of the bill,
svery Indian born within the territorial
/ limits OF the United States, to whom al.
lotments shall haye been made under the
provisions of this act, lis declared to be a
citizen Of the United States without for
mai application Co the courts. Upon
recommendation of the committee on In.
dian affairs, the house amended the sec
ton by inserting the words or any law
or treaty sc as to declare every indian
TO whom allotments shall have been
made under the provisions of this act, or
under n law or treaty, to be a citizen
OF the United States
BILE OF compromising the meaning of the
English language plainly expressed, and
undoubtedly did understand that 1T was
making citizens OF Indians who held
I their lands in seyeralty under the law or
treaty. The Santees, therefore, are citi-
I zenH by treaty specially applicable to
them and also by the general law.
The statute Of Nebraska constitutes
every citizen of the United States with
the qualifications as to, residence; posses.
sed by the Santees electors. In accord.
ance with these views the indian Office
has written a letter to Nebraska expires.
sing its opinion that the Indians are citi-
zens, but recommending thatsth matter
be submitted to the courts for determine.
tiUn. A similar question having arisen
Within the territory Of Dakota, Gen. Ups
sher has written the Indian agent recon-
mending him to advise the It.dsans for
the present to abstain from attempting
to exercise the right to vote.